but most foresters work for companies or agencies that manage forests for specific and limited uses: logging, recreation, erosion control and so on. they are paid to implement programs that serve these ends, not gradually nurture woodlands back into natural climax forests. Because of its role as a transitional species, the aspen may only inhabit a very small part of its vast range at any one time. TB's map is extremely misleading, it implies most of the Canadian Taiga is covered with aspen, when it merely indicates where aspen may possibly be found; "range" and "habitat" do not mean the same thing. For example, I lived in Pennsylvania for years and only saw one, it was the pride of my wife's neighborhood, now mostly planted in osage for shade!

In Florida, the conifers come first, quick-growing, sun-tolerant pines colonize burned off scrub areas (similar to California chaparral) and their shade favors the succession of other trees, usually culminating in live oak in the fully mature upland climax forest community.

The stand of the Colorado aspen at the southern end of the range makes it an ideal "canary in the coal mine" candidate for a global warming barometer species, especially since its insect pests are also highly climate-sensitive. The fate of one local species in a rapidly changing, higly modified environment means nothing, but how many of these random incidents must we experience before we really accept what they are telling us?